The new social network founded by former President Trump may violate the terms of use of the software he uses.
On Wednesday night, when Trump unveiled the TRUTH social network , Twitter users began reporting that the network appeared to be based on an open-source social networking software called Mastodon.
However, this software allows developers to modify the code as long as they are licensed. However, the Trump network seems to be using the publicly available code, while violating the terms that make it free.
Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko said that TRUTH appears to be violating the terms of use set out in the software:
The source code is only available for free if developers distribute a copy of the product to users.
“I do intend to seek legal counsel on the situation,” Rochko told TPM , declining to discuss any specific legal action he may be considering.
"Compliance with our AGPLv3 license is very important to me, as this is the only basis on which I and other developers are willing to donate years of free work," Rochko added.
The AGPL license requires software developed for free (such as Mastodon) to remain publicly available after modification. According to the license, TRUTH must notify any changes to the Mastodon code. The requirement allows developers to stay informed about how the software is used while running on public servers.
Former President Trump announced the social networking platform yesterday, saying that his goal is to compete with the technology companies that denied him the step that was crucial for his rise. TRUTH social will be open to "invited users" with a beta version that will be released in November. The social network will go public early next year.
Of course the "invite only" system already faces some problems. Some users have been able to sign up and create accounts using a publicly available link. This allowed them to create accounts with names like @donaldtrump.
George is still wondering what he is doing here….
